Cantabria recorded in 2024 one of the warmest years since there are records, with an average temperature 0.8 degrees above the average of the reference period 1991-2020, according to the report on the state and evolution of the climate in the region presented this Thursday by the delegate of the Government, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, and the territorial delegate of the State Meteorology Agency (AEMET), Sergio Fernández.
The document, prepared by AEMET technicians in Cantabria and presented to coincide with World Environment Day, concludes that 2024 was the fifth warmest year in the region since 1961. The absolute records were reached recently, in 2022 and 2023, with an average temperature of 16.3 degrees.
The report clearly reflects that the climate in Cantabria is changing, with a clear upward trend in temperatures: more heat, less snow and a warmer sea. If between 1961 and 1990 the average annual temperature in the Bay Arch was 13.8°C, in the period 1991-2020 it rose to 14.8°C and so far in the decade of 2020 - with unconsolidated data - it is 15.8°C.
"The average temperature is increasing by 0.36°C per decade as reflected by the records in the surroundings of the Seve Ballestries-Santander airport," said the AEMET delegate, who also pointed out that the increase is "intensifying" in recent decades.
"This report puts concrete figures to a reality that we already perceive: climate change is a scientific evidence, also here, in Cantabria," said the government delegate, who said that "we cannot deny what is evident." "Reality is making it harder and harder for the deniers. They deliberately deny proven facts," he said, alluding to far-right sectors and political parties with anti-scientific positions on climate change.
On the contrary, he reiterated that the Government of Pedro Sánchez is "very committed" to this challenge that we have as a society and recalled some measures promoted by the central Executive such as the first Law against climate change, which has given priority to the change of productive model towards a more sustainable economy with important investments both in the budgets and in the Recovery Plan with European funds.
"Our commitment is to continue working to promote green policies: reduce emissions, protect our biodiversity and natural spaces, promote sustainable mobility, promote the circular economy... In short, to take care of a public good such as the environment," said Gómez de Diego.
2024: A warm year and with less snow
The year 2024 has been classified as very warm in Cantabria, with an average temperature 0.8°C above the average of the period 1991-2020. It is the fifth warmest year in the region since 1961, only behind 2022 and 2023, which boast the historical highs with an average of 16.3°C.
In 2024, 64 days were recorded at Santander airport with temperatures above 25°C, compared to the 37 days that were counted on average between 1991 and 2020. The maximum annual temperature was 43.1°C in Tama, just 0.4°C below the absolute record in Teran. In this regard, the head of AEMET has highlighted that last year "Torrelavega exceeded for the first time the 40ºC temperature".
Regarding rainfall, 2024 was a normal year with a regional average of 1,244 mm, without a clear trend in the evolution of the rainfall regime in recent decades. However, the days of snow have decreased significantly: in Mataporquera (at 930 meters of altitude), it has gone from an average of 31 days of snow per year in the 2000s to only 15 in the present decade. In 2024 and 2025, the observatory recorded only 6 days of snowfall.
More hours of sun and sea also heats up
As for solar radiation, although 2024 remained at normal values, an upward trend is observed, although not excessively pronounced. Since 1990, the annual average of hours of sunshine in Cantabria has gone from 1,699 hours to 1,838 in the last decade, an increase of 8%.
On the other hand, the surface temperature of the Cantabrian Sea also reflects global warming. In 2024, the third highest recorded value was reached, with an anomaly of +0.7°C. The three historical highs correspond to 2022, 2023 and 2024, and the increase in this variable is also 0.3°C per decade, being more pronounced between the months of April and November.
The full report is available on the website of the Government Delegation in Cantabria. In Spain as a whole, 2024 was an extremely warm year (+1.1°C), the third consecutive year to lead the historical series of temperatures.
The regional report is part of the national study that AEMET has presented following the guidelines of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which establishes reference periods of 30 years updated every decade. At the state level, 2024 was an extremely warm year, with a thermal deviation of +1.1°C, and the last three years have been the warmest of the historical series in Spain.